


Prince!Ateez Series

by ateezinutopia



Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-25
Updated: 2019-07-25
Packaged: 2020-07-19 19:40:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 19,721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19979440
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ateezinutopia/pseuds/ateezinutopia
Summary: A series of bullet scenarios I posted so the format is gonna be weird. I apologize.





	1. Prince!Hongjoong

  * Prince Hongjoong is the hardest working prince his kingdom has ever seen and this earns him such high amounts of respect that some people among the villagers and nobles already regard him as the king
  * but don’t tell the actual king that because it’s kind of a sore subject
  * but Hongjoong sometimes forgets that he’s actually a prince and not just another one of the nobles because he gets so into his work he forgets that he is a prince and he occasionally needs to make appearances 
  * his parents nag him about leaving work every once in a while to speak to the people or attend an event or a ball so the people of the castle and even the villagers could see him 
  * Hongjoong just doesn’t think that kind of stuff is for him though
  * He also apparently doesn’t think that taking care of himself is for him because he’s always so deep in his work that he forgets to eat or sleep
  * and most of the maids are like ??? hello? you must eat
  * and Hongjoong is like ..... because he’s like rarely ever found so there’s just silence cuz no one ever knows where he is
  * like how is he so hidden and isolated? how did this happen? is no one watching him? whose day was it to watch him? who lost a whole ass person?
  * but he’s unaware of all these worries going around the castle because he just has to finish this one last thing and then he’ll go to sleep, but one thing turns into 5 things and then everything has snowballed and no one has seen him in two days and there’s like lowkey a search and rescue team out for him
  * but as he likes to repeat “it happened one time” so like... everyone just kind of expects him to enter a room and not come out for two days now. it’s the norm
  * but one day - one fateful day - Hongjoong actually falls asleep at the table he’s working at in the middle of a project because he’s so exhausted and he isn’t seen for a while so the king and queen get fed up and go to find him and assign him a caretaker because he is clearly not ready to “take care of himself”
  * Hongjoong rolls his eyes at first, not really believing them, but when they send him to the kitchen and lock the door behind them and he turns to find you he realizes that they’re serious and they really just locked him in the kitchen with a caretaker
  * you turn around from your place at the pantry, filling your arms with ingredients, and when you spot the prince you freeze and nearly drop everything in your arms
  * “oh, my gosh. Hello, my prince.” you bow to him before qucikly setting everything out on the counters. he waves to you and you stare at him for a minute, taking in his appearance. he looks like he needs to eat and nap. maybe even go for a walk outside
  * he looks down at himself, then back up to you. “What? Why are you looking at me like that?”
  * “oh! I just wasn’t expecting the person I was supposed to be caring for to be...”
  * “what type of people do you usually care for?”
  * you bite your lip hesitant to answer and Hongjoong already knows he’s not going to like the answer. “usually the elders or very young children.”
  * he sighs and runs his hands through his hair. “right.”
  * “but I can see why your parents assigned me to you. you really do need to eat something,” you say as you begin cooking a couple of dishes for him.
  * he reluctantly seats himself in a stool at the counter and picks as his nails, glancing up at you every now and then as you race around the kitchen at top speed
  * _you look like a tornado_ , he briefly thinks to himself before snickering at the accuracy
  * you finish the two dishes and place them in front of him along with a glass of water and a napkin. you sit in the stool beside him and wait for him to begin eating
  * he glances at you, then the food, then back at you. “not to be rude, but are you going to sit there the whole time?” he questions, looking uncomfortable
  * you give him a smile and a nod. “yeah, that’s part of the job. I have to make sure you finish all - or at least most - of the food, then clean up, then either make sure you take a walk or nap. Preferably both.”
  * “so you’re basically a babysitter.”
  * “Mmm, no. Technically I’m a caretaker.”
  * “so a caretaker is basically a babysitter.”
  * “if that’s how you want to see it, then yes. Now get to eating or I’m going to have to feed you myself,” you threaten, reaching for the utensils. 
  * He lightly nudges you hand away and you smiel as he pouts, but you can see that he’s enjoying himself because the longer he eats the faster he shoves it in his mouth, ravaging the food like a man starved. which he very well may be.
  * you watch him until he finishes every last bite (which didn’t take any convincing at all) and he wipes his face with the napkin and chugs the water before leaning back in his chair with a sigh
  * he closes his eyes and remains silent for a moment. “thank you. that was amazing. I haven’t eaten that well in a long time.”
  * “why?”
  * he opens his eyes, looking at me rather surprised. “did they tell you why you’re my babysitter?”
  * “caretaker. and no.”
  * he sighs. “because they think I work too much-”
  * “well do you?”
  * he turns his head quickly, watching me closely, but I can see him deciding if he wants to tell the truth or not. “yeah, I guess. But it all needs to get done eventually and I enjoy what I do, so I don’t see a problem with getting all of it done.”
  * “but if you can’t manage to take care of yourself then clearly you need a break.”
  * he shakes his head. “not possible. when I’m king one day I won’t get any breaks, so it’s better to train myself now.”
  * “but your not king now.”
  * “but I will be.”
  * “and you can’t just let your life slip away because you’re king. you still need to take care of yourself.”
  * “I do.”
  * “obviously not or I wouldn’t be here,” I tell him bluntly and his eyes widen. 
  * “I’m assuming you take no bullshit.”
  * “absolutely not, so don’t even try with me.” I give him a smile and clean up his plates as he remains in his seat, processing my words. 
  * and this is how the relationship between the two of you goes for the next few weeks. He will try to convince you that the amount of work he’s doing is acceptable and you remind him that he’s a human being and he needs to stop to sleep and eat every once in a while. 
  * it usually ends up in minor arguments, but he gives in rather easily because he is a smart man and he knows that you’re right, but he can’t bring himself to admit it.
  * though you don’t care if he admits or not, you know he knows your right and as long as he listens that is all that matters. Plus you’ve realized that he actually loves being taken care of because it takes some of the stress out of his life and allows him to turn his brain off and relax.
  * he secretly looks forward to your frequent visits to his secluded workspace and sometimes he’ll even switch up his locations so you have to come and find him. he loves the attention, but he would never tell you that or admit to it in general.
  * all-in-all he just won’t admit to a lot of things.
  * but what he likes about you is that you don’t seem to mind. you accept his brooding, sleep-deprived, cranky self and you listen to his problems then send him to take a nap and when he wakes up feeling bad you remind him that he over-worked himself and he was stressed. 
  * he feels comfortable with you and that’s saying a lot. he admires that you take everything seriously, but you remain empathetic and caring, making sure that he is well taken care of and healthy. 
  * he’s been so busy for as long as he can remember. he’s felt the weight of becoming a king weighing on his shoulders since he was a child and he wants to be the best king he can be for the sake of his family, his people, his kingdom, and himself. 
  * Hongjoong puts so much pressure on himself that he forgets what it’s like to be a normal person and just relax every once in a while
  * you, however, make him see that this isn’t the way to live and he should live life in the moment and balance every aspect of his life so he doesn’t lose himself in his work
  * and he begins to really love like that about you. 
  * before he knows it he’s developed a full crush on you and because he hasn’t done a lot of socializing with other people his age he isn’t quite sure how to go about these feelings...
  * so he ends up being extremely obvious and awkward whenever he’s around you 
  * and you notice, but you try to pretend as if you don’t so he doesn’t get embarrassed and because honestly... you’re not sure if you like him that way
  * he is the prince after all. he’s heir to the throne and you’re only supposed to be taking care of him, not developing any crushes
  * but the other side of you is saying that you know how you feel about him and you shouldn’t let titles or circumstances hold you back if you both like each other
  * so while he’s hopelessly falling over himself in front of you, you’re in a feud with yourself about what to do
  * until now because you’re faced with a decision that you have no time to think about because prince Hongjoong is standing in front of you with hope in his eyes waiting for an answer to his question.
  * “I really like you and I’m not putting any pressure on you, but I just need to know if you feel the same? Do you like me?” He asked you only moments prior and now you stare at him like a deer caught in headlights because one half of you is screaming yes, your fingers itching to grab onto his hand and squeeze it, but the other half of you is forcing you to keep your lips shut
  * he stares at you for as long as your silent, not daring to open his mouth and you can see the fear begin to pool in his eyes.
  * you swallow and nod your head, trusting your instinct. “Yes, I do. I like you.”
  * his face lights up and the most gorgeous smile you’ve ever seen on anyone spreads across his lips and you let a small chuckle slip past your own lips at the sight. _he really is beautiful_ , you think to yourself.
  * little do you know, Hongjoong is thinking the same thing about you when you reach forward and intertwine your fingers with his. his heart nearly beats out of his chest and he blinks out you, still in surprise.
  * he’s proud that he gained the courage to confess to you, and right now he feels like if he could do this he can do anything.
  * Hongjoong wraps his arms around you and pulls you into a hug that makes the both of you feel happier than you have in a long time 
  * you pull back slightly, staring into his eyes that are shining with joy and then you glance at his lips and when your eyes return to his a smirk creeps onto his face and his eyebrow twitches
  * “kiss me,” he says, with a challenging lilt to his voice. “we both want to, just kiss me.”
  * you hesitate, staring at his mouth as they form around the words, but a moment later he bits his lip and you lean forward, cradling his face in your hands and pressing your lips to his
  * he hums into the kiss and you can feel his smile as you move your lips against his and he quickly catches on, doing the same
  * he pulls you closer and you move your hands behind his head to run your fingers through his hair, admiring the feeling and realizing how long you’ve actually wanted to do this
  * when you two finally pull away, panting and smiling, he runs his hands over your hair with a look of admiration on his face as he stares at you
  * “well, that was nice.”
  * you snort at the cheesiness, but nod in agreement nonetheless
  * “it was. you’re not too bad of a kisser, my prince,” you tell him, tapping your finger against his lips which pull up into another smirk
  * “that’s good to hear. Want to try it again?” he wiggles his eyebrows at you and you roll your eyes, but when he leans in to press his lips to yours once again you hold onto his collar and let him take the lead this time 




	2. Prince!Jongho

  * This boy. This boy right here is the strongest little uwu Prince of them all
  * No one can match his strength and power or his undeniable cuteness and baby face
  * He is the kingdom’s protector and also their baby and he knows this
  * He plays into both sides very well and knows when to show one side and when to show the other 🗸
  * He duality is 😔✊ unmatched in this kingdom
  * The boy loves his weapons and isn’t afraid to let everyone know how amazing his is at using them
  * He takes every chance he gets to practice and train with the weapons, always believing he can improve in some way
  * His weapon of choice is a sword but he’s always down for some good ol hand to hand combat so he can punch his enemies in the face and throw them around like rag dolls
  * It’s a nice little hobby
  * And when he’s not getting bruised up and being powerful he’s down by the stables when no one’s around to work on his riding skills
  * He’s always been a bit skittish with animals of all kinds and he finds it hard to work with them and connect with them because they can sense his nerves and he thinks they might attack him
  * So every day he tries to be around the horses a little more and practice putting on the saddle and climbing on and off
  * However he’s too afraid to actually try riding around and trust the horse not to kill him… But he’s working on it
  * Plus it’s just hard for him to stay on and keep his balance. He’s stable on the ground for a battle like he should be but he’s not good with the skills it takes to stay upright on a moving horse
  * He’s used to brute force and swinging a sword around not something as difficult as steering a living creature
  * so one day he’s down at the stables, hyping himself up so he has the courage to get on the horse and practice walking around the stable a few times before hopping off and calling is a day
  * you’re walking by on your way to feed the chickens when you hear a voice coming from inside the stable and your brows furrow because no one told you they would be in there at this time
  * you move to the entrance of the stable, keeping to the side in case it’s an intruder
  * you hear the sound of a horse’s steps and man talking, “you got this. you can do this. why can’t I do this? I can do everything, but this is my one limitation. impossible.”
  * you stand frozen, trying to figure out what’s going on before peeking around the wall to see someone sitting on a horse with their back to you
  * they’re not moving anywhere, remaining static in the middle of the stable and you only become more confused by the sight
  * so they’re clearly not stealing the horse and if they are they’re doing a terrible job
  * you step into the stable quietly and cautiously move closer
  * “you are the strongest, bravest in the kingdom and you can do this. you’re a man. you can do anything you put your mind to,” the male continues to say and you have to hold back a laugh.
  * the guy seems pretty harmless so you clear your throat and step closer. “are you talking to the horse or to yourself?”
  * the man whips his head around but ends up losing his balance and begins sliding off the horse
  * you rush over and grab whatever you can first which happens to be an arm and a leg to help him ease his way to the ground
  * Jongho pants from both the surprise and the almost fall
  * when you two look up at each other his eyes are wide and cheeks are red from embarrassment and it takes you a second to register who you’re looking at before your own eyes widen to match his own
  * you stand up straight and immediately bow to the prince before you while he just watches you, still frozen in shock
  * you lift your head and realize he’s still laying on the ground so your reach forward to offer him your hand and he stares at it for a moment before taking it and standing up (though he did most of it himself and only took your hand as to not seem rude)
  * “thank you,” he mumbles, dusting off his clothes for longer than necessary in order to avoid eye contact
  * “of course, Prince Jongho. May I ask what you’re doing in the stables alone or - or if you are in need of any…assistance?”
  * Jongho’s cheeks deepen in color and he avoids your eyes as he looks at his shoes and his hands and the horse and basically anything that isn’t you
  * “um - uh… how much-” he clears his throat, “how much did you hear?”
  * you stifle another giggle and try to maintain a straight face as respect for the prince “not much, my prince.”
  * he finally looks up to you, scratching the back of his neck as he mumbles, “are you lying?”
  * your face involuntarily twitches as you force yourself not to laugh as his words ring in your head. You squeeze your eyes and lips shut, taking a deep breath. “I’d rather not say, my prince.”
  * He lets his head hang for a moment with a sigh before lifting it and meeting my gaze. Jongho straightens his back and broadens his shoulders to appear more like the prince that didn’t just fall off a horse
  * “very well.”
  * “are you okay? Do you need a doctor? Maybe you should lie down just in case? Did you hit your head at all?”
  * He shakes his head at you, holding up a hand. “No, no. No need, I’m perfectly fine. I promise.”
  * You nod your head and the two of you stand in silence for a moment. “Well… do you need help with the horse?”
  * Jongho’s head jerks up to look at you and you take a step back in surprise. “What do you mean?”
  * “Well, if I had heard what you were saying, then I would assume you were trying to ride the horse. But I’m not saying I heard anything, it’s just a guess.” 
  * He stares at you for a long time. Like a really long time, so long that you think you’ve insulted him and you bow to him with an apology
  * He waves his hand at you and sighs. “Yes, some help would be nice, if you’re not busy.”
  * “Never busy for you, my prince. What is it that you need help with specifically?”
  * Jongho shifts on his feet uncomfortably and glances at you as he mumbles something under his breath.
  * “What was that, my prince?”
  * “I need help with everything. I don’t know how to ride a horse and I may or may not be afraid of the presence of animals.”
  * He refuses to meet your eye and looks around the stable, still shuffling back and forth on his feet.
  * Your mouth falls open at the confession. The strong, battle-loving prince is afraid of animals and doesn’t know how to ride a horse. This is not something you thought you’d be finding out when you walked into the stable
  * “ok well that’s fine, everyone is afraid of something. Clearly, you know how to put the saddle on, do you know how to climb on the right way?”
  * He nods rather unconfidently and climbs on uneasily.
  * You walk over and having him climb off and showing him the proper way to get on. You have him practice this until he gets it right and when he finally gets on successfully you shoot him a thumbs up and he gives you an adorably shy smile
  * “Alright now onto getting comfortable.” This is unfortunately when things started to go down hill. 
  * You try to have him stay calm and relaxed while on the horse, but every time the horse makes a noise or moves or begins walking (with your guidance) he begins to panic which makes the horse nervous as well
  * Even as you repeat to him to stay calm, he can’t help himself and he scrambles off the horse and takes a few steps back to create space between him and the animal
  * “Okay,” you say, watching him as he watches the horse like it may charge at any moment. “I think that’s enough for today. You learned the proper technique to get on, so you don’t hurt you or the horse and you spent some quality time with him. There’s no need to overdue.”
  * You give him an encouraging smile, but he just looks defeated as you take the saddle off and return the horse
  * “So basically I got nowhere,” he says dejectedly
  * “No, no, no. You did well, my prince. It’s hard to face your fears, so you can’t expect to overcome them in one day.”
  * He sighs but nods his head nonetheless. “what are you afraid of?”
  * You turn your head to look at him with raised brows, not expecting the question. “Ummm… I’m afraid of thunderstorms or storms in general. Lightning, thunder, a lot of wind, most weather quite honestly.”
  * “How do you deal with it since that’s not something you can even avoid?”
  * Jongho watches you closely as you contemplate his answer. “Um, I’m not sure. I’ve just always had to deal with it and wait it out until it’s over. Most of the time I think I just hide under my covers, but that’s not really dealing with it I guess.”
  * You shrug your shoulders and he nods his head.
  * After that, you go on with your day and he goes on with his, not thinking much of the interaction until Jongho comes to you about working with him on horse-riding a few times a week.
  * You gladly accepted and you two began the lessons a few days after, keeping up with them as often as his schedule would allow. 
  * He was always on time, never a second late and you two would work together for an hour before he had to go back to his regular training
  * On and on this went with you helping him face his fear little by little until one day it was his turn to return the favor
  * You two were about halfway through your lesson when it began raining and you two rushed inside the stable with the horse to put him away and lock everything up
  * As you were locking the stable doors a clap of thunder ripped through the sky and you quickly screamed, covering your ears and dropping down with your head between your legs
  * Jongho watched it happen in shock before lightning flashed across the sky and he snapped back to reality, realizing it was dangerous to be outside
  * He tried to get your attention for a minute and as soon as he finally got you to stand up thunder rumbled through the sky again and you shoved your face in his chest, keeping your ears covered
  * Jongho quickly wrapped you up in his jacket and lifted you off the ground moving quickly toward the castle. He finally lets you down once you’re inside and opens his coat to see you shaking
  * “Are you okay?” He questions softly, moving the damp hair from your face. 
  * You keep your eyes squeezed shut and nod. Jongho continues wiping water droplets off your face and lightly brushing his fingers along your skin to help you calm down 
  * Eventually, you open your eyes and meet Jongho’s concerned ones
  * He helps you off the floor and leads you down the halls of the castle until you reach a room and he opens the door to let you walk in
  * You look around and realize you don’t recognize the room, but when Jongho walks by and slips his shoes off, then retrieving a blanket off the bed to wrap around your shoulders it clicks
  * “Wait, I can’t be in here, that’s illegal isn’t it?”
  * “I don’t think so. There’s no specific law,” he answers, guiding you to the bed to sit down. “Plus it’s my room, so I’m in charge.”
  * You let out a light laugh. “Really putting that royal power to good use I see.”
  * He laughs as well and watches you as you readjust the blanket to sit around both of you. “You really are afraid of storms.”
  * You nod. “Yes, it is my one weakness, unfortunately. I’ve been exposed.”
  * He chuckles again as another clap of thunder rumbles outside. You flinch and he pulls you to the head of the bed, pulling back the covers and motioning for you to get under
  * You do as you’re told and he follows you and your eyes widen at the action, confused and rather worried
  * Jongho pulls the covers over your heads and you two lay side by side in silence, facing one another.
  * “You told me this is what you do when there’s a storm and you’re afraid, so now you’re not alone.”
  * Your heart nearly bursts from your chest at his words. He remembered what you told him all those lessons ago and he’s sweet enough to lay with you, even when you know he’s easily flustered and shy.
  * You reach over and grab his hand, pulling it to your lips and leaving a light peck. “Thank you, prince Jongho.”
  * “I think we’re far past formalities,” he says, trying to cover the sound of his nerves, but you know there’s a blush on his cheeks even if you can’t see it.
  * Another rumble of thunder is heard and you grip his hand tighter at the sound
  * Jongho pulls you into his form, his warmth providing comfort while he rests his chin on your head
  * You wrap your arms around him as he does the same and you two hold each other until the storm is over and even then you two hold on, silently enjoying each other’s presence




	3. Prince!Mingi

  * so where to start with this soft, precious, tall baby
  * he’s just out there hoping and dreaming and thinking about love and when his time will come
  * will it happen now? maybe in a minute. Tomorrow? Or maybe two weeks from now? Does he already know them?
  * Mingi’s parents are a perfect example of soulmates and their love is admired all across the kingdom, but no one looks up to their love more than Mingi does
  * he just wants to feel that kind of unconditional, heart-stopping love that his parents experience every day, but he knows it will happen eventually. he believes it will because he knows someone is out there for him
  * but the one thing that frustrates Mingi the most is the fact that he’s always so caught up in his waiting and anticipating and all the dreams and hopes for when it will happen, that he ends up acting like a dork most of the time 
  * a cute kind of dork… but a dork nonetheless and even though that’s just naturally how he is and it’s a part of his personality and most people find it adorably charming, he’s still worried that it will happen in front of his future love and he isn’t ready to face them as he truly is
  * he’s so caught up in his fantasy that he’s imagined his love as the definition of a perfect person and he’s worried that he couldn’t measure up to that and this has made him insecure (my own writing just made me sad :( i love this precious little bun)
  * one day, however, he wanders into the kitchen when he thinks no one is supposed to be in there and he thinks it’s clear. But as he walks toward the pantry you stand up from behind one of the islands and when you two see each other you begin screaming and freaking out
  * anyone outside the kitchen would have thought you two were murdering each other from all the screaming
  * you dropped all the mixing bowls you were holding and when Mingi finally recovers from the scare he rushes over to collect them all for you, setting them in your hands
  * you smile, but when you finally look at his face your eyes widen and you bend over to bow faster than you ever have and you swallow
  * the prince is standing in front of you and helped you pick up the bowls. the prince is standing in front of you after you almost gave him a heart attack
  * you stand back up and avoid eye contact, walking to the sink to begin washing the bowls. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to frighten you, my prince. I hope I didn’t scare you too much.”
  * Mingi’s neck and cheeks begin burning as he realizes that he just screamed like a child and now you’re apologizing because of it. “no, I scared you as well, so it’s on both of us.”
  * you turn to look at him over your shoulder and give him a small smile. he returns it awkwardly, pulling his head back and ever so slightly pushing his chest out at the same time, making him slightly look like a fish.
  * your eyebrows pull together and your mouth parts, as you forget your task at hand and stare at him while he stares at you casually. you’ve never been more confused in your life, but honestly, it’s also super adorable and you start giggling before quickly covering your mouth
  * he raises his eyebrows, as if to question you, while his eyes widen innocently, completely confused. 
  * “why - why are you-” you stop to gesture at your neck and chest, then at him. he must have finally realized what he was doing because his body quickly slumps, making him look like he deflated and his mouth falls open as he stares at you.
  * Mingi’s eyes widen as embarrassment consumes him for the second time in the last five minutes. “how long was I doing that?”
  * you giggle again, turning to shut off the water. “since you smiled at me when I turned around.”
  * he puts a hand to his chest and stands up straight, looking relieved. “oh, good. it wasn’t as long as I thought.”
  * “do you do that often?”
  * he nods shyly, avoiding eye contact. “it’s a habit that I have when i feel awkward and most the time I don’t realize I’m doing it... obviously.”
  * he chuckles quietly, rubbing the back of his head and glancing at you, then looking away a few times.
  * you smile at how utterly innocent and adorable he looks, holding yourself back from cooing at him and squishing his cheeks. if it had been anyone else but the prince you definitely would have. 
  * “well, while you’re here would you like something to eat, my prince? I can make you anything you want.”
  * his eyes widen comically and his mouth falls open. “what? really? anything?” he questions loudly, childlike wonder clear in his voice.
  * you nod and his body practically begins vibrating in place from all of his barely contained excitement. Mingi begins listing every food he can think of you nod, confirming that you do, in fact, know how to make all of them and that is when he finally begins bouncing in place
  * he requests a few specific foods and watches as you begin collecting everything you need right away. he follows behind you like a happy little puppy and you’re glad he can’t see your face because you’re smiling like an idiot at how adorable he is without even trying.
  * when you begin cooking Mingi hovers around you, his tall body creating a shadow over you, though you don’t mind at all, in fact, his presence is surprisingly comforting and less intimidating than you thought it would be considering he’s the prince.
  * Mingi asks you what you’re doing every step of the way and is curious about every single ingredient and process. eventually, he begins asking to teach him about what you’re doing which leads to him asking to help with small tasks which you allow and help him through each one because he’s never cooked before and you don’t want him to hurt himself.
  * especially while he’s cutting onions for one of the dishes. first, you showed him how to cut the onions by demonstrating and having him watch you closely, then you had him practice holding the knife and positioning his fingers and hands the way they should be. 
  * Then you graduated to placing your hands over both of his and guiding him through the process of cutting all while trying your best to convince him to work on another job that would involve less knife us, but Mingi was having none of it because he wanted to try cutting an onion for the first time in his life and nothing was going to stop him
  * you watch him as he slowly and shakily begins cutting on his own.
  * his form is good, just like you told him, and he’s concentrating, his eyebrows drawn down and his tongue poking out over his lip while he focuses and you almost get distracted by the sight, but suddenly he hisses and drops the knife and you’re on him in an instant, nearly tackling him
  * “oh my god, are you okay? I knew it, I shouldn’t have let it happen. I shouldn’t have let you cut it on your own, oh god. I get distracted for one second and you cut yourself.”
  * you lead him to the other side of the kitchen where the first aid kit is stored in a cabinet at the top. you tell him to sit on a stool and walk to the cabinet to retrieve the kit
  * but there’s a problem you did not foresee... the first aid kit is in the highest cabinet because there was no room for it in any of the other cabinets and they didn’t want to keep it near the food
  * you sigh, accepting your fate and reaching as far as you can until your fingertips brush the handles and you manage to pull the doors open, but that was the easy part. you can’t even see where the first aid kit is because the cabinet is just too freaking tall (like seriously who builds cabinets that tall, it’s just rude, you think to yourself)
  * suddenly you feel a presence behind you and you watch as the prince’s arm comes into view above your head, easily reaching into the cabinet and pulling out the first aid kit
  * your cheeks warm, not only at the fact that you couldn’t reach it and he had to help you, but also because of his close presence. you can feel the heat radiating from his body
  * he closes the cabinets and you turn around, staying as close to the cabinet doors behind you as you can to maintain space.
  * you look up at him and he gives you a small smile, holding the kit out for you. “you were watching me the entire time.”
  * your mouth parts and your cheeks burn hotter. it feels as if your heart may burst out of your chest and you shakily reach out to take the kit from him as you stutter out an, “I’m sorry?”
  * he turns to shuffle back to his stool and take a seat and while his back is to you, you take a deep breath to try to calm your breathing.
  * you walk to the counter and set out a towel before opening the kit and taking the supplies out. he watches your movements carefully, curiously peeking over your arms to see what you're doing. always wanting to know the steps to everything.
  * “you said you got distracted when I cut myself, but you were watching me the entire time. I could see you out of the corner of my eye,” he explains distractedly, still watching your nimble fingers clean his cut. he flinches slightly from the sting but quickly recovers.
  * “yeah... I was watching, but I still got distracted somehow.”
  * “from what?” he questions innocently, genuinely curious to the reason and not quite understanding that he’s the one who distracted you.
  * “umm,” you trail off, trying to stall and think of a reply as you bandage his finger carefully, your fingers shaking.
  * “are you okay? you’re shaking.”
  * you pull your hands away quickly, letting out a small sigh. “yeah, I’m fine, I just wanted to make sure I didn’t hurt you.”
  * you begin packing up all the unused supplies and throwing away anything that was used, closing the kit and tapping your fingers against the top.
  * “are you sure you’re okay? it seems like something’s wrong, you weren’t acting like this before,” he says bluntly, though you can tell it’s not meant to be rude.
  * you move back to the cabinet and Mingi follows behind to help you return the kit, but when you flinch from his presence his eyebrows furrow and his lower lip juts out ever so slightly. he feels hurt, but he can tell something is wrong, so he tries not to be too insulted.
  * “I’m sorry,” you tell him, turning around slowly. “It’s just you.”
  * his eyebrows nearly shoot up his forehead and his mouth falls open. “Me? Why?”
  * he takes a step back and you immediately feel bad, not quite sure how to explain this to him. “no, no, not in a bad way. I got distracted by you because- well because you’re attractive which I’m sure you know and you’re really cute because you’re so curious and innocent and I just got distracted by all of that because I wasn’t expecting you to be this way-”
  * “you think I’m attractive?” he interrupts, looking surprised and then a little proud and then really embarrassed.
  * “y-yeah, I mean doesn’t everyone think so. You must get told that a lot.”
  * he shakes his head. “not that I know of. This is the first I’m hearing of it.”
  * you laugh nervously, tripping over your feet slightly to create some space because you’re not sure you can handle another second of all this embarrassment on your part and you only seem to be digging yourself a deeper hole
  * Mingi watches you closely, thinking about how cute _you_ look as you stumble over your feet and your words, your cheeks becoming redder by the second. 
  * it’s at this moment that Mingi really looks at you and takes in your slightly messy hair, your pink cheeks, your wide, frightened eyes, and your shaking hands. a thought crosses his mind and his body straightens stiffly and he starts doing the fish thing again.
  * Mingi thinks you look like the most beautiful person he’s ever seen and his heart begins racing, remembering the feeling of your hands over his as you helped him cut the onion and when you cleaned his cut. your soft voice as you instructed him and then he listens to your awkward, shaky voice now as you ramble about something he can’t focus on.
  * _oh my god_ , he thinks to himself, _is this my soulmate? did I just find my soulmate? is my soulmate really this cute? am I already in love with my soulmate? yes, I think I am already in love with my soulmate? did I really embarrass myself in front of my soulmate already? yes, I did, oh my god. wait, they said I was attractive!_
  * he finally lets out the breath he has been holding and stares at you until you realize he’s staring at you and you fall silent, both of you staring at one another with wide eyes.
  * “I’m so sorry, my prince.”
  * “I think I’m in love with you.”
  * you both speak at the same time and your eyes nearly pop out of your head as Mingi puffs his cheeks out and slowly turns around, ready to make a run for it.
  * “wait, what did you say?”
  * “nothing,” he chirps before making a break for the door and you react quickly, following him out into the hall and chasing after him, trying your best to keep up with his long strides.
  * “Please, just talk about. There’s nothing to be embarrassed about, I won’t judge you.”
  * the words seem to work their magic, instantly calming Mingi down and he stops in his tracks, turning around to face you, but you don’t stop in time and you run straight into his chest. he falls backward and you fall on top of him, both of you groaning, though him a little bit more
  * “are you okay?”
  * “yeah. are you?”
  * “yeah.”
  * “why did you say you were in love with me?” you question him, deciding not to move off of him, though you’ll be dead if someone happens to walk down this hall
  * “are we not going to stand?”
  * you shake your head. “no, I don’t want you running away again. Apparently, you’re a flight risk.”
  * he sighs and stares up at the ceiling, unmoving, and you can feel the rise and fall of his chest against yours. he finally looks down at you, his eyes meeting yours. “do you believe in soulmates?”
  * your eyebrows furrow and you shrug your shoulders. “never really thought about it why?”
  * “well, I do and I’ve always wanted to find mine because my parents found theirs in each other and they’ve always told me that when you know you know and I think I know.”
  * “you think you know? is it me?” he nods and you stare at him for a long time, processing his words. “so you think you know and you think I’m your soulmate?”  
he nods again and gives you a big, cheesy smile. “can I interest you in a soulmate?”
  * you laugh and stand up, helping him up as well and brushing off your clothes. “do we at least get to go on a date first?”
  * “well, of course, we have to start somewhere.”
  * you smile up at him and grab his hand, pulling him back in the direction of the kitchen. “now, let’s go. I have food to finish making you and lessons to teach you.”
  * “alright, alright. Just don’t get distracted by me again,” he snickers and you stop just to lightly hit his shoulder before turning back around so he can’t see your pink face.
  * and he can’t wait to tease you some more just to see you be this cute 




	4. Prince!San

  * San... this guy is definitely a mischievous dude just trying to live his best life, though his parents don’t see it that way 
  * they want him to act like a prince - be polite, attend the gatherings and entertain all the nobles that he doesn’t get along with - you know, prince stuff
  * San, however, has little patience for stuff like that and would much rather go entertain himself by socializing with everyone he comes across - asking about their life, listening to their issues, sneaking all of the children treats from the kitchen when no one is looking - things he actually enjoys doing
  * the only part of the whole prince thing is when they have events because his parents are distracted and there are tons of people and he can basically do whatever he wants and get away with it.
  * play a prank? already done
  * sneak treats for the kids? first thing he did
  * talk with the other princes from the other 7 kingdoms? check.
  * but things have been different at the events lately because the other 7 princes have been bringing their significant others to the events the last few months and now he’s the only one that’s single and he’s feeling really left out
  * they all look so happy and in love when they hold hands or kiss or dance or laugh together or hug or... do anything really and he’s envious, though he would never admit that because he has to keep up his calm, cool, collected exterior
  * he’s tried flirting here and there and he enjoys it _a lot._ it’s another one of his favorite past times, especially when he’s at a ball like the one he’s entering now. 
  * he loves smirking and gazing and light touches and eyebrow raises and compliments. he loves everything about it.
  * but what he loves the most is the effect it has on the other person. the blushes, the stuttering, the wide eyes and parted mouth, their flustered appearance, and awkward chuckles. that is his favorite part
  * which is why he never flirts with anyone that flirts back because he doesn’t find it entertaining. he wants to watch as they struggle to hold back a blush or avoid eyes contact.
  * he also doesn’t entertain anyone that flirts with him first. if someone is forward with him like he is with others, then he gets bored. don’t get him wrong, he enjoys it for a little bit, but when they start saying or doing things and expecting reactions out of him he gets bored because that’s what he’s trying to do and he shuts it down right away.
  * this may seem like a lot of rules, or at least that’s what the guys have told him, but he can’t help it. San likes what he likes and he’s into a certain type of person.
  * So as he enters the massive ballroom, he scopes out the faces around him, analyzing their body language and social group to get a reading on them. 
  * he strolls behind his parents slowly, his handing resting in the pockets of his slacks and his head slightly tilted back while his sharp eyes sweep the room.
  * his parents begin greeting the guests as they move toward the front of the room and he ignores the interactions, moving around people to scan the room better.
  * San grabs a drink off a platter and downs half of it, wiping his lip with his thumb, but he freezes as he spots a table along the back wall of the room.
  * It’s one of the many caterers that his parents hire for events like these. they come in from the village with food and drinks of all kinds and set up their own tables to hand out to the guests.
  * but the food isn’t what caught his eyes. between the heads of people passing in front of him, he sees you handing out food to guests with a bright smile on your face like you’re having the time of your life.
  * San smiles at the sight and immediately feels a smirk lifting the corner of his mouth as he begins taking determined strides toward your table, but suddenly his parents step in front of him ushering him toward the front so they can welcome and thank everyone.
  * he sighs, keeping his eyes on you as they pull him away. just before he turns around, however, you glance up and meet his eyes as he bores holes into you from
  * you inhale sharply and immediately drop your head, busying yourself with the rearranging the food on the table. you glance up to see if he looked away, but when you find that he’s still staring at you, this time with a raised brow and a devious smirk, you flinch slightly and turn around to busy yourself in retrieving more supplies
  * and in that moment, San knows that you’re the one he wants to talk to tonight and he can’t wait to start the fun.
  * the entire time his parents are addressing the room he’s watching from across the room. he can barely see you, but his eyes never leave your flustered form as you work to feed the guests that visit your table
  * and even though you’re not looking up at the stage because of the constant flow of people, there’s a tingle down your spine and you know that the prince has his eyes on you, that smirk still sitting comfortably on his face.
  * but you know how he is with flirting. you’ve heard plenty of rumors to know that he flirts for fun and entertainment and he’s made you his next victim
  * when the king and queen have finished their greetings, the room begins to fill with the chatter of the guests. everyone moves here and there, from table to table and group to group to eat and socialize to their heart’s content
  * you serve each guest with a smile and busy yourself with rearranging the food on the table when someone stops directly in front of you, standing silently
  * you know who it is, but when you glance up to see his handsome face sporting his usual smirk and eyebrow raise you’re still surprised and you nearly drop the plate you’re holding
  * you drop your head to avoid eye contact, his gaze too intense to face head-on. “how can I help you, my prince?”
  * he chuckles, placing his hands on the table and leaning forward to move into your line of sight. you watch cautiously as he continues moving forward until there are no more than a few inches between the two of you.
  * you swallow and his eyes flicker down to your throat to watch the movement before he meets your eyes once again, licking his lower lip.
  * he reaches one of his hands forward, grabbing a pastry near your own hand and lifting it to take a bite, humming as he pulls it away. San watches you closely as your brows furrow in concentration and the slightest hint of worry because of his unpredictability. 
  * San wipes the corner of his mouth slowly, his eyes never leaving you as you follow his actions. your hands grasp the table cloth covering the table and you silently hope he doesn’t notice, but you know he does when he chuckles, swallowing the bite and giving you a bright smile, dimples and all.
  * “this is delicious. did you make it?” he questions with a lilt to his voice that lets you know this isn’t just an innocent question. he takes another bite slowly, closing his eyes and humming. when he opens his eyes they hold an intensity that makes your knees weak.
  * “umm... yeah, I did.”
  * “Oh, come on now, don’t be nervous. I don’t bite,” he says around a chuckle that says otherwise.
  * you inhale sharply as another guest walks up beside him, greeting him and introducing themselves. San keeps his eyes on you a moment longer before turning to shake the stranger's hand. 
  * this goes on for a while, San will come to flirt with you until your face is unbearably hot, enjoying every second of it, then he’ll get pulled away by his parents or a guest, and one time his friends came to retrieve him, but he keeps his eyes on you no matter where he is.
  * the constant attention makes your skin crawl and San knows this which only makes him flirt with you more. it’s a game of cat and mouse that you were not prepared for and quite frankly you might just pass out from the intensity of his gaze.
  * San, on the other hand, is having the time of his life. he targets a specific type with his flirting, but he’s never had anyone with reactions like yours and the feeling he gets from watching you look so flustered and adorable is really getting to him
  * he doesn’t know when it happened, but his smirk slips into a genuine smile and he finds himself wanting to actually talk to you instead of just flirting and teasing you
  * the problem is... he’s not quite sure how to go about this because he never wants to actually talk to anyone he flirts with. he just flirts for fun because he’s bored and there’s nothing else that piques his interest.
  * but you’ve done more than just pique his interest. he wants to get to know you and talk with you more than just between you serving guests. he wants to make you laugh, but not just the quiet, awkward chuckle you make when he flirts, he wants to hear your real full-belly laugh. he wants to watch as you smile with all your teeth instead of the tiny smile that appears shyly when he gets close. 
  * San is starting to get butterflies every time you finally look up to meet his eyes after he’s been staring at you. he wouldn’t ever admit, but they’re there and he doesn’t mind the feeling at all. 
  * his friends notice as well, watching him struggle to hide his smile and pink cheeks every time he sees you... do anything. they notice, but they choose not to say anything, knowing San well enough to expect him to deny any claims they make.
  * San lingers around your table, realizing he’s slightly unsure of himself. he finally moves forward, catching your attention, but when he has it, he is silent. you stare at him waiting for the flirting, but it doesn’t happen and you’re confused.
  * “are you okay?” you ask him and his eyebrows shoot up, not quite believing his silence either. 
  * this doesn’t happen to him; he doesn’t become speechless or unsure of himself, yet here is, embarrassing himself as he is both of those.
  * he nods, still frozen in place and still unable to form words. you two stare at each other awkwardly until another guest walks up and you turn to serve them as he gulps and disappears into the crowd quickly, his cheeks burning in embarrassment
  * he finds his group of friends and plants himself behind the two tallest boys to pray that he disappears. _what am I doing? I’m blowing it, that’s what I’m doing_ , San thinks to himself, shaking his head. 
  * San has only ever flirted with people for fun, he’s never actually been interested in any of them and now that he is, he has literally no idea how to act and he’s becoming the person he would usually find cute enough to flirt with. and he hates it. what have you done to him?
  * his friends watch him struggling and finally one of them decides to speak up. “are you okay, San? do you need help? advice?” Hongjoong questions him, watching San shake his head and run his hands through his hair a few times.
  * “no, there’s no need. I have everything under control. pretend I’m not here.” San feels uncomfortable having an audience watching him as he embarrasses himself and struggles to navigate this unknown territory he’s entered.
  * especially when half the people surrounding him are his best friends’ significant others and the other half are his best friends who have successfully entered these relationships.
  * he’s surrounded by people who got through the awkward, difficult parts and are now in the “honeymoon phase”, a place he’s not sure he can reach if he keeps choking like this.
  * eventually, his friends urge him to approach you again and give it another try because “he won’t get anywhere if he doesn’t try”
  * so he takes a deep breath, swallows his pride, and steps in front of your table with the cutest smile you’ve ever seen and your heart soars.
  * “you’re back.”
  * “Yeah, I just went to talk to my friends, but I’m here again and you have my full attention,” he says, feeling his confidence return and gaining the courage to actually make a move.
  * “good to know.”
  * “Oh, did you miss me?” he asks, wiggling his eyebrows and you laugh, anticipating his reaction to your next words. 
  * “No, I meant good to know you have friends.”
  * San’s mouth falls open and he stares at you, more surprised than he ever has been and you laugh at his reaction, enjoying every second of his stunned silence. 
  * San, however, enjoys every second he gets to hear your beautiful laughter and smiles at the sound.
  * you notice the glimmer in his eyes as he stares at you and your brows furrow. “what?”
  * his smile widens and he giggles at how adorable you are. “nothing. you’re just cute.”
  * your cheeks burn and you quickly look around to see if anyone heard, but no one is around, though you catch sight of a rather large group watching the two of you and realize they’re his friends.
  * you drop your head and smooth out the non-existent wrinkles in the table cloth to distract yourself. San lifts your chin gently, meeting your eyes and grabbing your hand with his free one. 
  * you swallow as he leads you around the table and out toward the dance floor. you turn to your aunt who is still at the other end of the table and she only gives you a smile and a nod, silently telling you to go.
  * you give in and let him take you out to the dance floor, pulling you closer and swaying both of you side to side. no one else is slow dancing, but San doesn’t seem to care so you ignore all the eyes on you and enjoy the moment. 
  * “I’ve never slow danced with anyone but my mother,” San whispers into your hear, giggling quietly after. “I don’t know about you, but this is a pretty big moment for me.”
  * you nod your head. “Yep. It’s kind of a big moment for me too. I mean I am dancing with the prince at a ball in a uniform while everyone watches. Definitely a first for me.”
  * He snickers at your response, his face scrunching up adorably. you smile, admiring his beauty for the first time at this proximity and realizing just how gorgeous he is.
  * you place your hands on either side of his face, getting lost in his beauty and before you know it you’ve leaned forward until your lips meet and he lets out a tiny squeak from the back of his throat. 
  * you pull away quickly, in disbelief of what you’ve done, but San stares at you lips, his own still pursed from the kiss.
  * his eyes are wild, glancing quickly between your eyes and your lips. “do it again,” he rasps and now it’s your turn to make an unidentifiable noise as you lean in again to press your lips to his and he wraps his arms around you, holding you against him.
  * when he finally pulls away for air, you hear cheers coming from behind San and both of you turn to see his group of friends clapping and making a small scene, giving San a few thumbs up. 
  * he chuckles and you cover your face with your hands. San pulls your hands away and coos at you, still enjoying your cute reactions. “I could get used to this,” he says followed by another chuckle. 




	5. Prince!Seonghwa

  * so first and foremost the kingdom _loves_ him like **love** loves him 
  * there has never been a more widely loved prince than Prince Seonghwa
  * he is the prince every kingdom needs - kind, caring, helpful, responsible
  * how could anyone ask for a better prince? he was, quite literally, born to be a prince
  * he loves to spend most of his time down in the village where he can interact with his people and volunteer his time to make their living conditions be exactly as they should be - livable and comfortable
  * Seonghwa visits the village every day and if he misses a day then he’ll stay even longer the next time he goes because he values his time in the village more than anything
  * Prince Seonghwa is known as the people’s prince and he will go down in history as so
  * from the newborn babies to the elders in the village everyone agrees that Prince Seonghwa is a gift from above and he will make an amazing King one day
  * however, that is Seonghwa’s biggest concern
  * he has so much pressure from the village and the nobles and his parents because he is such an amazing person and everyone believes he will be the best King in history, but he’s not sure he can live up to such titles
  * Seonghwa is confident in his abilities to be among the people and listen to their needs well enough to take action and present a solution to every one of their problems and deal with it quickly and efficiently
  * he prides himself on being kind and caring and empathetic, but he’s afraid those may be his downfall as well
  * because being king is not just about solving the village’s problems and being kind and empathetic, he also needs to take care of the castle’s needs as well as the politics of the entire kingdom
  * and what if there is a war? he doesn’t want to send the people he loves so dearly into a battle and how will it look when he sends his people to fight for his kingdom, but he himself will not be leading them or even participating 
  * he will look like a selfish ruler. he’ll look like a fool! at least that’s what his thoughts tell him because he has spent so much of his time and energy with the village he has neglected his other duties as a prince and his biggest fear is letting everyone down
  * that is when he comes to you for much-needed guidance and teaching because you are a child of a noble that works closely with the king and queen as one of their political advisors and you have been training your whole life to follow in your father’s footsteps to one day take over his position and work closely with the next rulers
  * you two have known each other most of your lives and, though you aren’t very close, you two would consider each other friends
  * it’s just that you two are so busy with your own lives - him in the village and you in the castle - that you rarely see one another, but one day after a family meeting he comes to you for help
  * and you are not one bit surprised
  * he stops you in the hallway, but you continue to walk urging him to hurry up because you’re on your way to a meeting
  * “what do you need, my Prince?”
  * “is there a time that you’re not busy?”
  * “why?”
  * “because I need your help?”
  * “Unfortunately, I’m always busy, my prince, so if you need my help I’ll have to schedule it in,” you explain speed walking through the halls and weaving around people with Seonghwa sticking close to your side. “what is it that you need help with?”
  * he grabs your arm, stopping you and you bite back an annoyed sigh because he’s still the prince
  * “I’m going to be king one day and I know nothing of politics or even the basics of how to run a kingdom, and I know you know about that stuff better than most of the nobles in this castle. I need you to teach me about all of it.”
  * “all of it?” you ask, studying his desperate face.
  * “all of it.”
  * you sigh, rubbing your forehead and nodding your head. “I have time in the mornings before my first meetings of the day, we can meet there. But every second your late is information you’ll be missing because I’ll be leaving on time. Does this work for you?”
  * he nods his head. “perfect.”
  * “good. We’ll meet in the upper advisory hall bright and early tomorrow morning. I’ll see you there, prince Seonghwa.”
  * and with that, you’re disappearing down the hall to wherever it is you need to be and Seonghwa is breathing a sigh of relief as he realizes he has a chance to redeem himself and learn how to be the perfect king
  * or so he thinks, but the first lesson does not go as planned
  * it seems like Seonghwa can’t remember anything you’re telling him even when you break it down to its simplest form
  * he’s just not absorbing the information no matter how many times you explain it to him and this is making both of you become frustrated
  * you pace back and forth on one side of the table while Seonghwa holds his head in his hands staring at the book in front of him
  * “I’m sorry. I don’t know why I can’t understand this. I just- I don’t know.”
  * you sigh and rub your forehead - a habit formed by stress - while you stop pacing and sit on the table beside his seated form
  * “you don’t have to apologize. I understand that it’s a lot, but it seems like you’re not focused.”
  * “that’s because I’m not,” he admits, pulling at his hair.
  * you place a hand on his shoulder and squeeze. “don’t get frustrated, it won’t help anything. why can’t you focus?”
  * “because I feel like I should be down in the village. that’s where I belong. this- this life of politics and playing roulette with the lives of your people is not for me. I don’t think I can do it.”
  * “Prince Seonghwa-”
  * “I don’t think I can be the king everyone wants me to be. I can’t live up to their expectations.”
  * “Prince Seonghwa-”
  * “I’m not who they think I am. I’m not capable of running a kingdom without completely running it into the ground first. I’m a failure. I’m-”
  * “Seonghwa!” you exclaim, pulling his hands away from his head and capturing his attention. His head snaps up to meet your eyes and he watches you with wide eyes. “Stop saying that. Putting yourself down is not going to get you, the kingdom, or your people anywhere.”
  * He swallows as he listens to each word intently.
  * “You may not know all of the politics that go into running a kingdom, but you have a heart so big that it carries the kingdom and its people within it. You hold this kingdom in your heart and that’s what matters. You care enough to learn all of the politics which is enough. You’re not going to learn it all in one sitting, hell you may not completely understand how to rule a kingdom in one lifetime, but you have the will to do so and that is what will make you the greatest king this kingdom has ever had.”
  * his breathing is shaky and he stares up at you with glassy eyes, blinking away any tears that may have fallen. “thank you.” he turns back to the book and places his hands on the table. “can you explain it to me one more time?”
  * you close the book, collecting your things before looking at a confused Seonghwa. “No. We’re done for today. Tomorrow we’re going down to the village, so meet here again and then we’ll go. Don’t be late,” you tell him before leaving.
  * and this is how you’ve created your newly reformed lessons. you spend half of the days inside the castle, at a table, learning about all the details that make Seonghwa go insane, and the other half you spend down in the village doing your best to relate your lessons to real-life scenarios.
  * at first, you’re nervous to visit the village because you’ve only been down there a handful of times when you were younger and you’re worried you will stick out or the people will hate you.
  * but Seonghwa is sure to ease you into it and introduce you to the people as a friend of his and not just as the child of a nobleman
  * you’ve always known the people adore Seonghwa, but watching him interact with them up close is an experience you will never forget. 
  * they really, truly love him and he reciprocates that loves right back, helping with anything they need and talking with them and listening to their issues and playing with the children that look up to him as the best and only prince they’ve ever known
  * you’re amazed by the way he interacts with them so effortless and honest, like they’re all family to him, which they might just be in his eyes.
  * you do your best to talk and play and help, but you feel awkward and out of place, so you end up standing on the sidelines to admire Seonghwa more than anything else... and honestly, you don’t mind.
  * but Seonghwa has other plans for you and he pulls you into a game of tag with the children, calling out that you’re “it” now and running away before you know what’s going on
  * the children flee from you, screaming and laughing as they run. you hesitate for a moment longer, but when Seonghwa turns to look at you over his shoulder with a smirk, you purse your lips and run after him at full speed.
  * eventually, you tag one of the little boys who tags a little girl who tags another little girl who tags Seonghwa and then you’re running away and giggling as he chases after you
  * you run for as long as you can through the field, but eventually your legs begin to tire because you haven’t run this much in years and Seonghwa catches up to you, grabbing you around the middle and swinging you in a circle before the both of you topple to the ground in a mess of limbs and giggles
  * “alright, alright, you got me. now get off of me you’re heavy,” you tell him, pushing him off of you, so he rolls to lay beside you.
  * “at least I can run for longer than a minute,” he jokes and you smack his arm, shaking your head at his comment.
  * “rude.”
  * he laughs and you join in as well, enjoying yourself for the first time in a really long time.
  * suddenly, there is a shadow above the two of you and you look up to see the children gathered around the both of you, peering down curiously
  * “does this mean we’re done playing?”
  * “why are you laying down?”
  * “are you two married?”
  * you burst out laughing at the question as does Seonghwa and you sit up shaking your head and grabbing the little girl’s hand.
  * “no, we’re not married.”
  * “really?”
  * “yep.”
  * “does that mean I can marry prince Seonghwa when I get older?” she whispers, leaning in closer to your face and covering her mouth afterward while she giggles. she glances over your shoulder at Seonghwa and so do you.
  * You watch as he stands up, lifting a little boy up in the air and flying him around while making goofy sound effects to which all the kids giggle and you smile at the sight.
  * you turn back to the little girl, but she’s already off with the other children, laughing and squealing at Seonghwa’s feet, arguing over who gets to be the airplane next
  * standing from the grass, you wipe off your pants and watch in awe at the pure, innocent, love in its truest form that is being shared between the prince and the children of the village he adores so much
  * it is easy to see why the kingdom cherishes this boy so much - he’s special. he’s one of a kind and he would do anything for these people which makes him the most kind-hearted person you’ve ever met and you’re grateful to witness something so beautiful
  * suddenly Seonghwa pulls you into the group and wraps an arm around your waist 
  * Seonghwa looks at the children, but points to you. “Do you think our new friend should visit the village more often?”
  * the children scream and cheer, attacking your legs in hugs and giving you the happiest smiles you’ve ever seen which only makes you smile and hold back a few tears
  * “you really think I should back?” you ask them with your hands on your hips.
  * “yes!” they should and you laugh at how enthusiastic children can be.
  * “well, I guess that just means one thing,” you say reaching forward to pinch a few of their cheeks before jabbing Seonghwa’s stomach and running away. “looks like I’m gonna have to stay and Prince Seonghwa is it. Everybody run!”
  * and with that the children run in every direction, screaming, and you shoot Seonghwa a smile to which he shakes his head and begins running toward you with every intention to make you run as much as possible before tagging you just because he knows it’ll slow you down




	6. Prince!Wooyoung

  * Wooyoung is honestly just out there trying to be the best him he can be while trying to have the most fun that he can 
  * he’s still young and he’s really just trying to enjoy himself as much as possible before he has to become king
  * because that is when life gets real and the responsibilities will be endless
  * so, for now, he’s enjoying the freedom that he still has, even if technically it’s illegal and he really should have guards or someone with him, but that’s not what’s important here
  * according to Wooyoung the most important thing is being happy and doing what makes you feel happy and he’s taking his own advise very seriously
  * wooyoung’s favorite activity is sneaking down to the village on his own and going into the village square to perform for the villagers
  * he sings and dances and does silly stuff to make the kids laugh, but he makes sure to keep his identity a secret by wearing a plain shirt, pants, a hat, and shoes that he bought a year ago in the village when he started doing this
  * he also wears a mask because... duh
  * and no one has ever figured out it was him and he is proud of himself for keeping this secret from everyone in the village and the castle. his own parents don’t even know
  * the villagers know him as “The Masked Performer” and he never fails to disappoint, enjoying every moment that he is down in the village square with a crowd around him and adrenaline pumping through his veins knowing that he is doing what he loves and people love it
  * you, however, are completely aware that Wooyoung is “The Masked Performer” and you have known for as long as he’s been doing it
  * you work at your grandmother’s shop which is where Wooyoung bought the clothes a year ago and you were folding shirts off to the side when he bought the clothes and snuck them into his bag before the guards saw
  * and when “The Masked Performer” performed that first night you and your grandmother knew exactly who the mystery man was, but you felt it wasn’t your place to expose him, so you kept his secret and went on about your evening
  * every once in a while you’ll visit while he’s performing, admiring his talent and his passion, but you never stay long because your grandmother is worried that if the king and queen find out he’s been sneaking down to the village things might go bad because it’s illegal for a prince to be out without guards 
  * so you listen to her and pass by glancing and taking in as much as you can before she pulls you along, telling you not to get too distracted
  * you know she only wants the best for you which is why she’s so strict in where you go and not getting involved in stuff like that because she believes it will lead to trouble, but you can’t help but feel that you’re missing out on having fun
  * but you never have time to dwell on it because you’re too busy with your grandmother
  * tonight, however, is... different
  * you’re folding pants and shirts and stacking shoes on shelves; all your usual work but suddenly a man shows up out of nowhere and you’re surprised at first because no one usually comes to the shop this late into the evening when it starts getting dark
  * “hi, how are you?” you ask, setting down the shoes you were stacking and walking to the front
  * the man steps closer, keeping his head down, but as he steps into the light you recognize the clothes immediately and you stumble back slightly
  * he glances up at the commotion and his eyes meet yours. in that moment you have never felt your body break into a cold sweat faster than when his gleaming brown eyes looked into yours
  * Wooyoung realized his mistake and looked back down quickly, hoping you didn’t recognize him as him and only as “The Masked Performer”
  * “I need a new pair of pants,” the man tells you, pointing to the hole over his knee.
  * you nod, your mouth hanging slightly open while you stare at him in surprise, walking backward and trying not to stumble
  * you wave your hand motioning for him to come inside where the clothes lie on tables and hang along the walls. he side-eyes you from beneath his hood but turns to the table of pants to begin searching for the perfect pair.
  * you stand across the small shop, glancing around nervously, but letting your eyes wander to the prince. you admire the fact that he is brave enough to do such a thing - leaving the castle unsupervised to do what he enjoys and put on a show for the villagers
  * you admire his bravery, his commitment, and his dedication to his passion. you have never done anything that requires bravery and you are envious of his ability to do as he pleases, even if there are consequences
  * he glances up at you for a moment and you gasp, turning your head and pretending you're looking around the shop, but when you try to sneak a glance at him and he’s still looking you drop your head and purse your lips, trying not to chuckle uncomfortably
  * the prince, however, does not try to hide his laughter at all and lets out a loud giggle that you wouldn’t expect to come out of him and your jaw nearly drops
  * he laughs to himself for a moment longer before continuing his hunt for a new pair of pants. a few minutes later he finds a pair that are suitable for him and look to be about his size
  * “do you mind if I change into this pair before I leave?” 
  * you shake your head and point to the small room in the back. luckily your grandmother is already at home preparing dinner, so you aren’t worried about her being in the back
  * he disappears into the room, closing the curtain behind him and you finally let out the breath you’d been holding. you let yourself freak out for a moment and do some weird arm flailing to get it out of your system 
  * you can’t believe that the prince is in your shop. You Can’t BELieVe THaT THE PrinCE IS in YOUr SHoP!!
  * your grandmother would kill you if she knew that you were getting yourself involved with “The Masked Performer” OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE PRINCE
  * but it’s not your fault. what were you supposed to do? _deny_ a customer, especially if said customer is the prince. that would be rude
  * like he doesn’t know that you know, but you know that you know he’s the prince and it makes you feel weird about being rude to him because that’s not polite or acceptable
  * you sigh and rub your forehead to try and calm your thoughts because you can feel your face heating up from the thought of the prince finding out that you know or your grandmother finding out that you spoke to him
  * you’re sooo stressed because you hate keeping secrets and now you’re keeping two
  * the prince emerges from the room, holding his old pair of pants and holding his arms out, doing a small spin. “looks good?” he asks and you nod.
  * he chuckles again at your wide eyes and silence. “where can I throw this old pair away? I don’t need them anymore.”
  * you point to the trash under one of the tables and he throws the pants away, walking to the front table before turning back to look at you, raising an eyebrow. you can’t see most of his face because of the mask, but you can only assume he’s biting back another loud giggle
  * you meet him at the table and stand in front of the makeshift register
  * “how much for the pants?” he asks
  * you think for a moment. should you give him a discount? he is the prince after all. but then again he doesn’t know that you know, he thinks you think he’s just a normal person, so he can’t assume that you’ll give him a discount...right? but even if you give him a discount he wouldn’t know if you don’t mention it.
  * you pull yourself from your thoughts and rest your hands on the table to steady yourself
  * “that’ll be seven coins, my prince.” your eyes widen as soon as the words have slipped from your mouth and his match yours, if not, larger.
  * “what?” he whispers worriedly, rushing around the table and leaning in close. “what did you say?”
  * you lean back, slightly frightened. maybe your grandmother was right.
  * “Um... I didn’t say anything,” you lie.
  * “we both know what you said. why would you say that?”
  * “I- because... just because.” you shrug, not sure what to say and regretting ever opening your mouth.
  * “so you know it’s me. how did you find out?” he sighs and suddenly he looks less bright then he did a moment before and you feel bad.
  * “You came here when you first bought your outfit to be ‘The Masked Performer’ and I saw you. But I’ve never told anyone,” you add quickly.
  * “Yeah, I know that,” he chuckles, rubbing the back of his neck and looking more stressed than he should look for his age. “because if you had told anyone I wouldn’t still be doing this.”
  * you nod and swallow, taking a step back and lacing your fingers together to stop them from shaking. 
  * “you don’t need to be so afraid of me, you know. I may be a prince, but I’m not scary and I don’t bite. In fact, I should be thanking you for keeping my secret.”
  * you shake your head, waving your hands. “no, no that’s not necessary at all, I promise”
  * “well, I promise that it is and I would be grateful if we can continue to keep my identity a secret. I know that’s a lot to ask, but I really like what I do and I don’t want to have to stop just because of some stupid rules.”
  * your eyes widen. “my prince, I don’t think they’re stupid rules-”
  * “do you actually think that or are you just saying that because that’s what everyone wants you to think? and you don’t have to call me prince, in fact, I would prefer it if you didn’t.”
  * “I apologize and I’m not sure I can answer your question.”
  * he watches you as you continue to be a nervous wreck. “do you always follow the rules so adamantly?”
  * “I try to.”
  * “because you want to?”
  * you freeze, unsure of what to say because you’re not really sure. “well, I don’t want to cause any trouble or get in trouble.”
  * he nods. “well if that’s how you feel, then I’ll leave you to your work.”
  * he fishes in the small bag he has with him until h pulls out the coins. 
  * “wait, what do you mean?”
  * “what do you mean what do I mean?”
  * “you sounded like you were implying something.”
  * “I was.”
  * you do a double-take and he grabs your hand to place the seven coins in your palm. “I’m confused.”
  * he closes your hands around the coins and you leave it there, frozen in the air. Wooyoung laughs at your confusion and leans in. “I was going to invite you to get food with me before I go back to the castle, but I’m assuming eating with the prince is not something you’re up for.”
  * your mouth opens and closes in shock, your mind seemingly frozen. “but why?”
  * he chuckles. “because I’ve seen you around and I think you’re cute and after talking to you tonight I wanted to take you out. but since it seems like you’re uncomfortable with breaking the law to hang out with me, then I respect your choice and I’ll be going.” he bows to you and turns to leave
  * but in a moment of impulse you grab his arm, stopping him and he turns back to you, eyes shining. you drop your hand quickly and rub your hands against your pants.
  * “yes, I want to, but-”
  * “if you’re uncomfortable you don’t have to.”
  * “it’s not you that I’m uncomfortable with... it’s not even me. I’ve just been warned not to get involved in anything that could be dangerous.”
  * Wooyoung let’s out a chuckle from behind his mask. “Someone said I was dangerous?”
  * “well, not you, but being around you with no guards is illegal and breaking the law is dangerous.”
  * “no one knows who I am, except for you.”
  * you take a deep breath and say all in one exhale, “I know and that’s also why I’m nervous because my grandmother knows about you too because this is her shop and she’s the one that told me not to get involved, but now I’m getting involved and I hate keeping secrets.”
  * “So then don’t get involved. I can leave now and we can pretend I was never here.”
  * “but that’s the problem, I want to take risks, I’ve just never had the opportunity, but now that I do I’ve already decided to go with you, I’m just stalling because I’m nervous.”
  * He snorts but pulls down his mask slightly to give you a smile. “are you sure?”
  * you nod your head and he grabs your hand, pulling you out of the shop. you quickly close everything up and following behind him as he leads you down roads until you reach a small restaurant with one lady working and no one else there.
  * “I come here because she doesn’t ask questions and there usually isn’t a lot of people. Plus the food is really good, trust me.”
  * we sit down at a table in the far corner and the lady comes to take our orders
  * “two of my usual please,” wooyoung says and the lady nods, heading to the back of the small shop
  * Wooyoung pulls down his mask below his chin, keeping his hood up just in case. 
  * “so you must eat here a lot if you have a usual.”
  * he nods, smiling at you. “I do. most nights that I perform I come here to eat unless I’m running late and I need to return to the castle right after I finish performing.”
  * you nod your head, scanning the shop and admiring the simplicity. “I don’t know how you do it.”
  * “do what?”
  * “sneak out of the castle every night and risk getting caught.”
  * “it’s to do what I love.”
  * you meet his eyes and tilt your head. “and I admire that more than anything. your bravery is an inspiration.”
  * a light blush coats his cheeks and he drops his head for a moment, shaking his head. “no, no. I wouldn’t say that at all, but that’s very kind.”
  * “no, it’s true. I’ve admired it ever since I saw you. I’ve only seen you perform for a few seconds here and there, but I’ve always wanted to tell you that you’re amazing and that your passion for what you do is incredible.”
  * the woman comes back with your food and wooyoung quickly pulls his mask back up, staring at you in awe
  * the two of you make small talk about your lives while you eat. you talk about how you moved to this kingdom when you were younger to live with your grandmother to become an apprentice at her shop and one day inherit it while your family remained in the kingdom over under the Park’s rule.
  * wooyoung tells you about what it’s like performing and what it’s like in the castle and why he decided to start sneaking out and you are immersed in his stories, hanging onto every word he says 
  * eventually the two of you finish and wooyoung pays for both of your meals, leading you outside where a full moon shines down on the village
  * “thank you for eating with me,” he says from under his mask.
  * “thank you for inviting me,” you respond with a smile
  * Wooyoung grabs your hand and lifts it to his lips, placing a light kiss on the back of it. “I hope to see you again.”
  * “Maybe tomorrow if you come find me.”
  * he gives you a smile and a bow and begins walking away. “I’ll hold you to that.”
  * “oh, I hope you do.”
  * he disappears through the buildings, on his way to the castle and you turn around walking home and smiling as you reminisce about the night you’ve had. 
  * little did you know this would be the first of many meetings between the two of you and they only get better




	7. Prince!Yeosang

  * to start it all off this precious boy is rarely seen by the kingdom
  * he is just so shy and prefers to keep to himself 
  * he hates when there are big events because he is the center of attention as part of the royal family and it makes him awkward and uncomfortable
  * plus the kingdom heavily relies on him because he’ll be the next king one day which means he’ll have to be responsible and keep the kingdom together and protected and get married and have an heir and deal with all the politics and- 
  * basically he’s just super stressed by the whole “being a prince” thing and the thought of ruling the kingdom sends him into a stress ball
  * not squeezing a stress ball, he becomes a stress ball by curling up and stressing in his room for hours
  * this is why he tends to keep to himself and spend most of his time in the library with all of the stories of other worlds and lives where real life can’t touch him and he can be a calm, relaxed little prince snuggled up in a chair
  * his parents worry sometimes because they won’t see him for days because he’ll disappear into the library, then go to his room to sleep, then repeat the process the next day 
  * but he finds the utmost comfort in the library so he enjoys his time and doesn’t care about what anyone else thinks about his habit
  * so Yeosang just goes on about his day, as usual, walking to the library with the book he finished last night before he went to bed with a small smile on his face because he just loves when he finishes a book because then he gets to start a new one and he’s one book closer to reading all the books in the library and-
  * yep basically he’s a sucker for reading and his goal in life is to read every book in the library which may seem like an impossible task to some people but to Yeosang it’s the most fun he could possibly be having in life
  * except this time when he enters the library the stacks of books that he normally has laid out across the tables and desks and floors and shelves and basically everywhere are gone
  * his eyes widen in panic and he freezes in the doorway
  * a cold sweat breaks out across his skin and for a moment it seems like his life is flashing before his eyes and before he even realizes what he’s doing he’s rushing forward toward the shelves and looking around to find all the books put back according to where they technically should be
  * “no, no, no, no, no, no!” he repeats as he sets the book down on a table and begins racing around trying to find all his books and put them back in the stacks he had
  * luckily, he was smart enough to write down all the books he has read, plans to read and which pile he had them in exactly, but he still can’t help but feel panicked
  * all his piles are gone. and why? everyone knows that this is where the prince spends all of his time and that no one is supposed to move anything he has out
  * most people don’t even enter the library because they know it’s too much of a risk!
  * so what happened?
  * that’s when you come down from the upper level of the library, humming a soft tune to yourself, but when you see the prince frantically removing books from the shelf and repeating “no, no, no” like it’s his mantra you rush over
  * “my prince. my prince,” you say, trying to get his attention, but he hardly even looks up at you, continuing to look from a paper to the shelves
  * he rushes around to and fro, stacking as many books as he can into his arms before going back to get more
  * “What’s wrong? what’s happened? why are you pulling all the books out?” you ask, startled by his behavior
  * he turns on you, but instead of a look of anger or intimidation as you expected he looks at you with wide eyes behind his round glasses 
  * “i- the books- my piles- wait who are you?” he questions, finally realizing he doesn’t recognize you
  * “i’m- i’m one of the new maids in the castle. I was assigned to this wing and I finished just about everything else so I came in here,” you explain nervously
  * “oh,” he whispers dejectedly, “they must not have told you.”
  * your eyes widen. “told me what? what were they supposed to tell me, my prince? what did I do wrong?”
  * “it’s not your fault. it’s just that no one is supposed to put the books away that I keep out in the stacks because I have a specific system, but it’s fine. You didn’t know.”
  * your heart immediately aches from how sad and disappointed he looks, his shoulders drooping and his eyes downcast. Even his voice sounds like it has deflated from his sadness.
  * “i’m- oh my gosh- i’m so sorry. I had no idea! I would have never come in here had I known about that. Oh gosh. What can I do to help, my prince? That paper, is it a list? Do you know what books were in the piles? I can help!”
  * You move closer to him and he looks apprehensive at first, but he cautiously holds out the paper and you gently take it with a bow before examining all the lists he has
  * “well, I just put all of them away so I remember where most of them were. If we were together we can get them all back down in no time. I’ll go grab them and bring them to you and you can stack them in the piles where they need to go. Does that sound alright?”
  * he nods, but a light blush covers his cheeks. “now that you’re saying it out loud, I sound a bit dramatic.”
  * “no, no, not at all, my prince? it is normal to be distraught when something special and important to you is not as it should be. trust me, I have a collection of dolls that my mother made me when I was young and if even one is out of place or missing, I can’t function.”
  * He nods along to my story a small smile creeping onto his lips. “That’s…interesting.”
  * “see? we all have things that seem a little weird or unusual to other people, but if it’s important to you that’s all that matters.” you give him a smile before retreating with the paper to begin hunting down the long list of books
  * he watches you as you move around quickly, putting all your effort into finding each book and carrying stacks of them to the tables. it makes his chest feel warm because most people think of his passion for reading as a joke and tell him he needs to do other things with his time
  * but you seem to understand and that makes his day better just from the support of a stranger
  * he smiles to himself as he starts organizing all the books to where they’re supposed to go as you bring them over
  * you’re moving quicker than you’ve ever moved before because you feel terrible for making the prince so sad and disappointed even if you didn’t mean to
  * eventually, you manage to get the last of the books from the shelves and set them on the floor beside the prince as he scans the books quickly placing them in various stacks across tables and desks
  * you take a second to catch your breath and stretch your arms and shoulders. you’ve moved all the books twice now and you’re really starting to feel the strain it’s had on your body
  * Yeosang is so deep in finishing organizing he doesn’t look up until he’s set the last book down
  * he looks up with a victorious smile and a clear mind because everything is finally as it should be
  * he looks at you and realizes for the first time that you’re a stranger and he has no idea who you are and you’re in his safe space in the library and he acted like a giant dork and you helped him put everything away and oh god- you’re cute
  * he’s horrified that he’s embarrassed himself in front of someone and exposed himself for being the kingdom’s resident book nerd
  * he rubs the back of his neck as he feels a blush creep up his neck and settle on his ears
  * he clears his throat and you look up at him from the table you’re sitting on
  * he glances up at you before quickly avoiding his gaze and focusing on a book in front of him. “thank you for helping. I know I was kind of ridiculous, but I appreciate your help and your kindness.”
  * “it was really no problem. and like I said I don’t think it was ridiculous at all. don’t apologize for being passionate about something, it’s what makes you who you are.” you give him a bright smile and he swears he stops breathing for a second 
  * he lets out a breathy chuckle and taps on the table. “would you- i don’t know- maybe want to- or should I say be willing to- help me organize the books I have in my room. you don’t have to if you’re busy with other things, but it’s a mess in my room as well and I thought maybe...”
  * “I would love to,” you agree with a smile, standing from your seat on the table and walking over to him. “lead the way.”
  * “o-ok.” he stares at you with wide eyes for a moment before turning to the door and leading you down the halls of the castle to his room.
  * he stops with his hand on the handle before opening the door. “just, don’t judge the mess please.”
  * you wave your hand at him to dismiss his comment. “have no fear, my prince, I have no room to judge. I’m sure it can’t be as much of a mess as my hair is when I first wake up.”
  * a laugh bursts out of him and you giggle as he covers his mouth, looking slightly surprised at his laughter
  * he opens the door and you walk in to see a sizable mess around his room, but nothing like you’ve seen before in your days of cleaning
  * the two of you begin cleaning right away, organizing his books across the various bookshelves around his room and storing some away on his desk and in his closet
  * you ask him about his passion for reading and about his favorite stories and anything else so he has a chance to express himself and feel comfortable talking about what he loves because it seems like he’s insecure about it and doesn’t get a chance to discuss it with other people
  * Yeosang understands what you’re doing and he’s more than grateful
  * and when you two finally finish putting everything away you take a break, sitting on his floor to continue talking about what it’s like being a prince compared to what it’s like being a maid 
  * the two of you begin to lose track of time and eventually you realize that you really need to get back to work so you say your goodbyes, but as you’re walking down the hall you hear Yeosang call your name
  * you turn around and he’s jogging up to you
  * you notice he’s avoiding your gaze and his hands are shaking
  * “do you want to maybe hang out together when you’re done with work? we can hang out in my room or in the library or we don’t have to hang out at all if you don’t want. actually, now I feel like this was a bad idea.”
  * he turns to walk away, but you grab his hand before he can get any farther and turn him around so he’s facing you again with fear in his eyes
  * “prince, stop staring at me like that, I’m not scary I promise. If you had waited a moment longer I would have said ‘yes, I would love to hang out with you’ but you really like to jump to conclusions don’t you.”
  * “wait, you do?”
  * “yeah, why wouldn’t I?”
  * he stares at you. “I don’t know. I just assumed you wouldn’t.”
  * “Well, you assumed wrong, my prince.” you lean forward on your toes and press a kiss to his cheek to which he freezes and stares at you in surprise
  * “I’ll see you later, Prince Yeosang.” you let go of his hand and walk down the hall while Yeosang remains frozen for longer than he would ever admit after you’ve left only moving when he lifts his hand to his cheek where he can still feel your lips




	8. Prince!Yunho

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> His is by far the most popular on my tumblr

  * A giggly boy. A straight up giggle fest 99% of the time
  * A lot of reprimanding from the king and queen for this cuz he needs to be ~serious~ and ~professional~
  * Yunho, however, does not care and prefers to be himself
  * He loves to joke around and play little pranks on people
  * And when I say little I mean little cuz he doesn't want to get grounded
  * He hates being grounded cuz he doesn't like to spend a lot of time in his room when he could be doing other things...
  * Speaking of other things Yunho loves to explore and wander
  * He lives in a massive castle with areas he still hasn't seen and secret rooms and forbidden places 👀
  * Therefore it only makes sense that he's such a busy guy with all that sneaking around and exploring
  * In his spare time (when he's not exploring rather illegally or messing with people) Yunho can be heard singing to himself in the empty hallways
  * But according to him no one can prove anything and he doesn't sing so that's that on that
  * Yunho’s love for exploring takes him anywhere and everywhere inside and outside of the castle w/o supervision (just how he likes it)
  * this is how he meets you
  * you’re new to the castle staff. Finally getting the job of your dreams with great pay and a nice room to stay in
  * it’s not much considering it’s for staff members but it’s better than living in your tiny house down in the village that is filled to the brim with your family
  * you moved away and became a maid so your family would have one less person to share resources with and so you could earn money to help support them, even if you won’t get to see them more than once a month
  * you’re walking through the halls collecting laundry from around the castle in your cart when you hear a creak behind you
  * you turn around and see nothing, so you continue walking 
  * but then you hear a sigh and you turn around thinking “who is behind me?”
  * but when you see Prince Yunho stepping out of a room and brushing off his pants your eyes immediately widen
  * you didn’t think you’d actually see any of the royal family let alone be this close
  * if they weren’t actually running the country you would believe they were a myth
  * you may work in the castle but it’s big enough to hardly run into other people and you figured the royal family are so distant and busy that you would never see them walking in the halls
  * especially not without guards or nobles
  * “wait why is Prince Yunho alone” you think to yourself “is this allowed?”
  * your hand slips on the cart and it moves forward slightly, squeaking loudly
  * Prince Yunho’s head turns to you quickly his expression one of surprise and guilt. For what you don’t know
  * You catch yourself and bow to him until he acknowledges you
  * “you really don’t have to do that, miss” he sputters out, moving forward to stand in front of you
  * you step backward, alarmed by the proximity. Bells go off in your head that a royal is in your presence with no other witnesses and standing within a two-foot radius and addressing you directly 
  * “iS THis AlloWEd??” your mind seems to screams at you moving to take another step back but your stopped by the cart
  * unfortunately the cart slides backward and you begin to fall without the support but Prince Yunho reaches out to grab your arm and help you re-gain balance
  * as soon as you have you squeak and awkwardly slip out of his grasp doing an even weirder movement to step farther away from him and taking a big step away
  * he laughs at your ridiculous movements, tilting his head to the side “you’re not gonna tell anyone are you?”
  * your eyes narrow in confusion while you rub your arms like you can rid yourself of his touch “huh?”
  * “you’re not going to tell anyone you saw me here, are you?”
  * “If it’s an order than-”
  * “it’s just a question.”
  * “well, uhh, no. No I won’t tell anyone.”
  * “Good.”
  * “i’m not gonna get fired am I?”
  * now it’s his turn to look utterly confused “for what?”
  * “for being near you without witnesses and for physical contact and not having at least a two-foot space between us”
  * “well all of those were technically my fault”
  * “with all due respect my Prince, they can’t fire you, so if anyone is getting fired it’s me. it would be on me”
  * “no one’s getting fired. Let’s just pretend we never saw each other. Deal?”
  * You nod at him stiffly, the shock of the situation making your brain short-circuit
  * “ok good talk.” He backs away, saluting you like an overgrown child. “It was nice not meeting you or seeing you miss”
  * “of course” you reply with a bow and when you stand upright he’s disappearing down some random hallway and you’re left reeling from the experience
  * if anyone finds out, then you’re dead and he’s clearly worried about getting caught so it won’t end well for him either
  * This goes on for a while... A couple months to be specific
  * Every once in a while you'll be walking through the halls, minding your own business and suddenly Prince Yunho appears out of nowhere mumbling an excuse and asking you to promise you won't tell anyone
  * Then the royal family will gather for an announcement and he'll be his usual oblivious, smiley, playful self and you're just kind of confused
  * But also you find it quite endearing
  * He's just a tall, goofy boy that loves to explore and doesn't like standing prim and proper while his parents speak of politics
  * You begin to see him more as a boy and less as a prince which is bad because you need to see him as a prince and treat him as such, especially if you want to keep your job
  * But the other problem is that you begin to develop a crush on him
  * You don't remember when, mostly because you hadn't realized when it happened
  * But you are becoming worried that you might slip up if you run into him again so for the sake of your job and the income for your family you request to work on the other side of the castle where you're less likely to run into Prince Yunho
  * You don't give a direct reason to the head maid, simply claiming that you're sure you could be of more help in a busier area
  * Your first day is hectic in the new, busier side of the castle and it takes you some time to figure out the rhythm but eventually, you get it and begin to enjoy it
  * You think about Prince Yunho for the first week, wondering what he's doing, where he's exploring if he's run into anyone that has to keep his secret
  * But luckily you're so busy that once you have the thought you're called off to do something else
  * Yunho, however, can't stop thinking about where you are or what it is you're doing
  * Have you disappeared? Quit? Been fired? He wonders where the maid that is always around as he stumbles out of a room is
  * He never spoke to you for more than a minute and he never asked your name but now he finds himself wishing he had
  * He got so used to your presence in random locations that he feels lonelier now when he wanders around the castle
  * Today the king and queen are holding another castle announcement about some modifications that are starting and Yunho has to dress up and look presentable
  * And he hates it. He hates looking like a prince and he hates when people bow down to him because he sees himself as a normal guy
  * So he's feeling down with his mood on top if his disappointment of not seeing you
  * He's dragging his feet and adjusting his collar roughly, agitated with the feeling
  * His parents and the highest nobles walk in front of him and he does his best to tune them out and ignore their boring talk of politics and renovations
  * He sees movement out of the corner of his eye and he spots you walking with another maid, holding baskets and turning down a hall
  * His eyes widen in surprise and excitement and before he knows what he's doing he quietly sneaks off from his parents and down the hall to find you
  * He tries to quickly turn the corner to follow you down the hallway but he slips and lands on his side
  * He grunts at the pain but quickly stands up to keep moving but when he glances up he sees you and the maid frozen at the end of the hall staring at him in shock
  * He wipes his hands on his pants, clearing his throat and praying that you can't see his pink cheeks from across the hall
  * You snap out of your trance, handing your basket to the maid you're with and telling her you'll meet her later
  * You rush forward, inspecting him from head to toe as you reach him
  * “my prince are you alright? are you hurt?”
  * “nothing more than my pride is injured. well, maybe a small bruise, but I’ve had worse. nothing to worry about”
  * you stare up at him, wondering why he’s out wandering when he should be with his parents. well, it’s no surprise to you, but he will be grounded when they find out he snuck away
  * “my prince, I know it’s not my place to question, but shouldn’t you be with the king and queen for the announcement?”
  * he shakes his head. “it’s fine. they don’t need me for anything important”
  * “so...why are you-”
  * “here? because I saw you. I see this is where you disappeared to. I was wondering if you had quit. I thought maybe it was me,” he laughs, watching your reactions to see if what he’s saying is true.
  * “no, no, not at all. I-” you pause. Technically you did switch positions because of him, but you can’t tell him that so you end up standing there with your mouth open.
  * his eyes widen and he sputters a bit before finding words to say “so it was because of me. oh, I’m - oh. was it because you were worried about getting fired. I’m sorry about that.”
  * you shake your head quickly, thrown off by the entire situation “no! I mean yes in a way, but no. It’s not what you think. Kind of.”
  * Yunho stares at you in confusion and worry, not quite sure of what to say “umm”
  * “I switched positions because I was afraid I was seeing you less like a Prince and more like a normal person which is completely illegal and actually I could technically get fired for that so that’s part of it, but I also left because Imayhavestartedtopossiblydeveloptinylittlefeelingsforyou”
  * you mumbled the last part, so Yunho moves forward to hear you better. “what?”
  * “I may have possibly started to develop a tiny little small crush on you, but it’s nothing important or worth talking about so that’s it. oh, look at the time I should be going,” you say, glancing at your watchless wrist and turning on your feet to leave
  * but Yunho has other plans and grabs the back of your shirt gently to stop you from moving anywhere. he spins you back around to face him and tilts your head up with his pointer finger. “oh, you do,” he says with a teasing lilt to his voice and a big, cheesy smile on his face, “well, that’s perfect then because I do too”
  * your mouth falls open and Yunho uses his finger to close it, a giggle falling from his lips. “you what?”
  * “I have a small crush on you, too. I mean I didn’t realize it until like literally five minutes ago when I saw you and left my family at the risk of getting grounded to chase you down and fell because I tried to round the corner too fast just so I could ask you where you went because I’ve been wondering.”
  * “you’ve been wondering where I’ve been?”
  * “yeah,” he says like it’s the most obvious thing in the world, “I missed having you around to get scared when I appeared out of nowhere and it was fun having someone around who would keep my secret and look cute while doing it.”
  * you feel your cheeks burn, but try to ignore that and focus on Yunho. “oh, sorry.”
  * “no, problem. I’m just thankful you’re still in the castle because my parents wouldn’t want me going into the village on my own, or at all. But I probably would have found a way to sneak out anyway and find you.”
  * you laugh at him, knowing that he would absolutely sneak out and then get grounded for weeks. “well, that’s sweet of you to risk getting grounded to come find me.”
  * he nods his head happily like a proud puppy. “I hoped it would come across as more sweet than creepy.”
  * “well, actually it could be considered creepy as well, but I’ll take it as being sweet.”
  * “good. Let’s keep it that way,” he says. He leans down so he’s closer to your face and you can see his beautiful smile up close. “so what next?”
  * “if this is your way of asking to kiss me, then the answer is yes.”
  * he leans forward, smiling into the kiss as he holds your waist and pulls you closer to him. but he starts giggling halfway through the kiss and pulls away. 
  * “why are you laughing?”
  * “is this too much physical contact? are you still worried about getting fired?”
  * you roll your eyes and smack his shoulder, but a smile forms and you end up giggling with him. “are you going to go back to your family for the announcement? You are still the prince after all.”
  * “why would I do that when I can stay here and kiss you,” he says, proving his point with another soft kiss.
  * “won’t you get grounded?” you ask between each kiss.
  * kiss. “yeah, probably.” kiss. “but even if I do,” kiss “you can come visit me,” kiss “because you work on this side of the castle now.”
  * he gives you another big, cheesy grin and you smile up at him.
  * “okay, but if I get fired it’s your fault.”
  * “no, it’ll be fine. Plus even if you do I can just sneak you in. I don’t know if you know this, but I know about most of the secret locations in this castle.”
  * “Nope. I didn’t know. I haven’t seen or heard anything about you sneaking around.”
  * he smiles at you and presses your lips together in a playful kiss full of smiles and giggles.




End file.
